


Kizuna

by HamHamHeaven



Series: Greyscale [11]
Category: DIAURA, Jrock, Kra (Band)
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Colorblind Soulmate AU, Domestic Fluff, Gen, Slice of Life, Trypanophobia, single parent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-10
Updated: 2017-12-18
Packaged: 2018-12-11 07:34:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11709783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HamHamHeaven/pseuds/HamHamHeaven
Summary: It's a thankless job at times, but Yasuno will do whatever it takes to forge the bonds of love for his new family.





	1. Provider

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the DW vkyaoi community August challenge - spotlight on a group you feel gets insufficient recognition in the vk fandom and have the concept of under-appreciation appear in your work. For the group, obviously I've chosen Kra, a band that debuted in 2001 and that is still going strong after 16 years despite the loss of a guitarist 9 years in and a label that seems hell-bend on ignoring them.
> 
> As for the concept of under-appreciation, I was inspired by Park Yoochun's beautiful [How Much Love Do You Have in your Wallet?](https://youtu.be/3mTq7LdbPUA) (lyrics [here](https://jyj3.net/2016/01/18/trans-park-yuchun-how-much-love-do-you-have-in-your-wallet-lyrics/)) to consider the plight of a parent working hard to make ends meet so that his child can have a brighter future. Title is from the equally beautiful [song](https://youtu.be/fvL4DHSVjf4) Kra did for the Yu-Gi-Oh anime (lyrics [here](http://www.jpopasia.com/kra/lyrics/22280/%E7%B5%86-%E3%82%AD%E3%82%BA%E3%83%8A/kizuna/)). 絆 means “bonds”  
> 

There is an old American saying: “Some days you get the bear; some days the bear gets you.”  Today is definitely the latter sort for Yasuno.  He and his two roommates are gathered around the table of their tiny flat having breakfast, with the newest addition to their group dozing sweetly in her bouncy chair next to him, when his mobile begins to buzz.

“Kaa-san?” inquires Keiyuu.

“Lawyer’s office,” predicts Yuhra.

Yasuno frowns down at the name on the screen.

“Boss,” he mutters, before answering the call.  “Moshi moshi?”

Yuhra and Keiyuu exchange glances while keeping an eye on Mai in case she wakes up and interrupts the call by fussing.

Whatever’s being said, it’s making Yasuno’s frown worse.

“I understand, but….  Yes, but the baby….”

Yuhra strikes about for a post-it note and hastily scribbles a message.

**Do you need us to babysit?**

Yasuno heaves a sigh and nods.

“If it’s an _emergency_ , I can try to find someone to look after her this morning.  Yes.  Yes.  I’ll be in by 9.”

He tosses the mobile aside with a grunt of frustration, and shoots his roommates an apologetic look.

“Can you really watch her for me?”

“I work from home; it’s not like I wasn’t going to be here,” Yuhra shrugs.  “Besides, she doesn’t do anything except snooze and eat at this stage.”

“And make messy diapers,” Keiyuu adds with a wrinkle of his perfect nose. 

“But what if you need to go out for something?” protests Yasuno.

“I’ll send Keiyuu.”

“Hey!” Keiyuu huffs indignantly.  “I’m not a courier service.”

“Then I’ll ask one of the guys next door,” replies Yuhra indifferently.  “Either Taizo or Shoya’s bound to be around at some point.”

Yasuno gives the younger man a grateful nod and hurries to the closet they share to change into something work-appropriate.

“What were they calling you for anyhow?” asks Keiyuu through a mouth of rice.  “You’re out on paternity leave.”

“Last minute preparations for the big corporation-wide presentation my boss has to give on Friday.  Apparently I’m the ‘only one’ who can handle things.”

“Some emergency,” mutters Yuhra.

“They certainly don’t _pay_ you like you’re the only one who can handle it,” adds Keiyuu for good measure. 

“I get it,” Yasuno excuses, struggling with the knot in his tie.  “We have people coming in from Kyoto, Seoul, Beijing and Shanghai.  He can’t afford to screw this up.”

“Still, you are on paternity leave, and it’s not right for him to make you come in.  You should have told him ‘no’.”

“Maybe.  But it’s overtime pay.  And now that I’ve got another mouth to feed, I can’t really afford to turn down the extra money.  Formula is expensive!”

“There’s no reason for you to turn it down,” Yuhra reasons.  “I read all of the baby care books you did.  She and I will be fine for a few hours without you.  And if for some unexpected reason there’s something I don’t know, I’ll call you.”

Yasuno gives his roommate’s shoulder a grateful squeeze, bestows a quick kiss on the baby’s head, and rushes out the door.

~~~~

Of course, ‘one small emergency’ turns out to be ‘two dozen medium-sized brush fires’ most of which could have been handled by someone else.  Yasuno spends a frustrating morning sifting through the enormous stack of paperwork that’s been left on his desk, prioritizing what absolutely _must_ be completed immediately by him and him alone, what could be handled by others in the department (which he places in folders with each person’s name), and what is of low priority.  Lunch time comes and goes, and he’s still nowhere near finished.

Grumbling in annoyance, he sends an email to Yuhra.

**There’s no end in sight here.**  
**Are you still okay with her, or do I need to call a sitter service?**

**We’re fine.**

Yasuno smiles as the picture attachment finally loads and a grainy image of Taizo holding a wide-eyed Mai appears.

**Uncle ‘Zo stopped by for lunch.**  
**She’s not sure what to think of him.**

“Yasuno-san!”

His momentary respite is interrupted by a sharp voice from the boss’ office doorway.

“Downloading images is an inefficient use of time,” Murasaki-san chastises, stalking over to Yasuno’s desk with another handful of manila folders.  “Have you completed all of the edits I need in the materials?”

“Not yet.”

“What’s taking so long!”

Yasuno bows his head in artificial apology.

“The other departments gave us PDFs.  To make the changes you’ve asked for, I need the original Excel spreadsheets.”

“Then get them!”

“I’ve requested them,” Yasuno replies as professionally as his mounting temper will permit.  “Unfortunately, I’m still waiting for replies from several key divisions.”

“The edits have to be completed and ready for printing by Thursday morning.  I’m going to have them spiral bound for everyone’s convenience.  So if you don’t hear anything by close of business today, be sure to follow up with everyone first thing in the morning.”

Yasuno frowns.

“I’m sorry, sir, but I can’t come in tomorrow.  My daughter has an appointment with her paediatrician.”

Murasaki-san gives him a hard look over the top of his spectacles.

“Surely your _wife_ can take care of that herself,” he insists.

Yasuno bristles at his judgmental tone of voice.  His boss knows full well that he’s not married, and apparently has no qualms displaying disapproval that his employee is now a single father.  But Yasuno isn’t about to get into an argument with the man about the details of his personal life – details that frankly aren’t any of his employer’s business.

“I have to be there,” he simply states.  “She’s getting her first set of vaccines.”

“Well, I guess you’ll just have to make sure all of this is completed before you leave today then,” the boss remarks sourly, tossing the stack of folders onto the desk, carelessly scattering the neatly separated stacks of paper.  “Add these new figures to the materials as well.”

Yasuno is _so_ tempted to chuck a stapler at the man’s head as he stride off.  He doesn’t.  Assaulting one’s superior is a sure way to be fired, and he can’t afford to be unemployed at the moment.  Instead, he removes the new stack of folders and begins straightening and reorganizing.

~~~~

“Otsukuresama desu.”

Murasaki-san throws out the parting phrase without the slightest hint of sincerity as he steps into the elevator at 8.  His employees echo the phrase with equal falsity, knowing he’s not really listening.  As soon as the doors slide closed, the enthusiasm increases threefold as everyone begins the animated discussion of “where should we go for drinks tonight?”  Yasuno doesn’t participate in the conversation, because the instant he has everything finalized, he is going _home_.

Unfortunately, the final documents he needs don’t appear in his inbox until nearly 9, which means it is well past 10 before he’s able to save the last of the changes and email everything to his boss.  He’s more than a little tempted to email a letter of resignation along with the presentation handout, but the image of baby Mai staring up at Taizo keeps him in check.  With a murmured word of thanks to the evening cleaning crew, he escapes.

Hungry, frustrated, and battling exhaustion, he stumbles home, hoping against hope that there’s something edible in the kitchen, because he doesn’t even have the energy to stop at the 7-Eleven for a bento.  As if in answer to his prayer, the mobile in his pocket buzzes.

**From: Keiyuu**  
**Home in 15.  I’m bringing futomaki.**

At least that’s one roommate he doesn’t have to worry about waking when he enters.  Even so, he tip-toes as quietly as he can into the genkan, bending his lanky frame to untie his shoes so they won’t thump as they would if he just kicked them off as usual.  It’s a waste of effort.  Yuhra is wide awake, sitting in the exact same spot as when Yasuno left, giving the baby a bottle.

“She’s eating again?” he asks the obvious, collapsing down beside them.

He tucks his chin onto Yuhra’s shoulder and watches little Mai drink her milk.

“The mommy magazines suggested more frequent feedings with less per bottle as a way to combat the gassiness.”

“Has it been bad today?”

“She was a little fussy after you left, but a tummy rub seemed to fix it,” Yuhra explains.  “No major melt-downs.”

He tilts his arm toward Yasuno, offering him the baby.  Gently as he can, Yasuno scoops her up and leans her on his shoulder.

“Hang on.  Take the burp cloth!”

Yuhra brushes back Yasuno’s hair and lays the cloth over his shirt to avoid any spit-up on the collar.

“Thank you so much for looking after her today,” he sighs wearily, giving the infant a kiss on the top of the head.

Yuhra smiles at the pair.

“I told you, it’s no problem.  As long as I hit my submission deadlines, no one at my office cares whether I’m alive or dead.”

Sad but true.  A low-level journalist doesn’t get any more respect than an office worker does.

“But I’m sure you didn’t get any _actual_ work done.  At least I haven’t figured out how to juggle watching her and doing much of anything.”

“A little.  It’s easy enough to research and reply to emails between diapers.  I folded some of her towels and blankets while she napped right after lunch.  And there are clean bottles in the sterilizer.”

“Well, anyway, thanks.  I know you didn’t exactly sign up for all of this daddy stuff,” Yasuno smiles wryly.

“Neither did you,” points out Yuhra quietly.

“Yes, I did.  I took full responsibility when I volunteered to adopt her.”

“But you _chose_ to.  What I meant was she wasn’t _your_ mistake to fix.”

Yasuno cuddles the precious little girl in his arms, who makes a gurgling sort of cooing noise at his roommate over his shoulder.

“She wasn’t a mistake,” he denies.  “A surprise, definitely, but not a mistake.  I don’t ever want her to think of herself that way.  Just because my sister couldn’t keep her….”

“At two months old, she isn’t even aware of her own existence yet.  But I see your point,” Yuhra yawned.  “I’m gonna hit the shower quick before Keiyuu gets home, yeah?”

“Sure,” Yasuno nods.

He sits quietly patting the baby’s back until he hears a soft little burp.  Smiling, he shifts her around in his arms.

“Come on, little one.  Will you be good for Chichi and finish the rest of your bottle?”

“Tadaima,” a soft voice whispers from the genkan.

“Okaeri,” Yasuno replies.

A shock of messy brown hair pops around the corner.

“Oh you’re home.  And she’s still up?”

“Hungry girl,” Yasuno confirms.

“Mmm, that’s what we like to hear,” chuckles Keiyuu, dropping the bag of food on the table as he makes his way over to greet the baby with a gentle pinch to the toes.  “We want our hime to grow up healthy and strong.”

Yasuno would like nothing more than to point out how cute his roommate is doting on his daughter, but Keiyuu hates to be called “cute”, so he keeps the thought to himself.

“How’d your day go?” Keiyuu asks.  “Crisis averted?”

Yasuno rolls his eyes.

“My boss is such an ass.  I swear I was _so_ close to telling him to go….”

Baby ears nearby keep him from completing the thought.

“Maybe you should.”

“Nah, we both know I can’t do that,” he shakes his head.  “It’s not fair to her or to the two of you if I can’t pull my financial weight around here.  I did put my foot down about working tomorrow, though.  He actually expected me to skip her doctor’s appointment.”

“He’s probably never set foot in a doctor’s office with any of _his_ kids,” Keiyuu speculates.  “But if you really need to go in the morning, between us and the neighbours, _someone_ would be able to bring her to the appointment.  You could meet us there.”

“That office is a black hole,” Yasuno denies.  “Once he got me to my desk, I’d never escape.  And it’s important that I be there for her.”

Keiyuu studies his roommate seriously for a moment.

“You know, even if you can’t make one appointment, she’s not going to hold it against you.  As hard as you’re working to provide for her and give her a family, she’s not going to grow up feeling anything but loved.”

Yasuno’s eyes fill with tears as he stares down at the baby in his arms.  She’s fallen asleep, bottle still in her mouth, tiny hand clutching at his shirt.  He runs the pad of his index finger over her chubby cheek.

“Thanks for helping out with her today.”

“No worries.  It’s actually pretty fun being an uncle.  You should have let your sister keep her for a few days first so that you could try it before officially becoming a dad.”

“Sure, fun,” Yasuno grins.  “As long as Yuhra’s here to take care of the diapers, right?”

Keiyuu pouts.

“I have a weak stomach!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **1)** I've seen 結良's name Anglicized "Yura", "Yuura", and "Yuhra". I chose the spelling I like best.  
>  **2)** Mai, Kra's original guitarist, was very much male. However, his kanji 舞 can be a female given name meaning "dance" or "flit", which I thought was cute for a baby girl. So he gets to participate in the fic vicariously through his namesake.  
>  **3)** IDK what the rest of the world calls [these things](http://frequence3.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/baby-bouncer-chair-regarding-baby-bouncy-chair-600x600.jpg). We call them bouncy chairs because they're chairs that bounce.  
>  **4)** Japan actually has the [highest](https://qz.com/928022/japan-leads-the-world-in-paid-paternity-but-fails-on-nearly-every-other-measure-of-workplace-gender-equality/) average paid paternity leave of any industrialized nation. However, only a small percentage of men eligible for it actually take it.  
>  **5)** Typical vaccination schedule from the U.S. CDC suggests the first set of shots at two months. I don't know that Japan does exactly the same, but I would imagine they have a similar recommended schedule. And yes, smaller, more frequent meals _is_ recommended to help [gassy babies](https://www.askdrsears.com/topics/health-concerns/fussy-baby/comforting-gassy-baby).  
>  **6)** On a less relevant note, Keiyuu brings home [futomaki](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norimaki#Makizushi) because I was craving gimbap when I wrote this.  
>  **7)** Made some minor changes because I realized I had technology set too advanced for the year. Oops!


	2. Palliator

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the DW VKYaoi October challenge - incorporating a phobia into the plot. Trypanophobia (fear of needles) is something I "borrowed" from my father for this fic. The inclusion is very light and playful, so I doubt it would make anyone squeamish, but this is your warning just in case.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to come with?” Keiyuu offers as he rinses his rice bowl.  “You know how you get about….”

Yasuno glares up at his roommate from the scattered contents of a diaper bag he’s trying to organize for his daughter’s trip to the paediatrician.

“So that you can mock me the entire time?” he scoffs.  “No thanks.”

“So that I can hold the baby while you tremble!” replies Keiyuu with a cheeky grin.  “Seriously, though, it’s a lot of stuff to carry.”

“It’s only five blocks,” Yasuno denies, mentally debating whether eight diapers will be enough, or if he ought to play it safe with ten.  “Besides, don’t you have a _job_ to get to?”

Keiyuu wrinkles his pretty nose and pouts.

“Don’t remind me.”

Keiyuu leaves Yasuno to his arranging and Yuhra to the constant click of fingers across the keyboard for a quick comb through his hair in front of the washroom mirror.  He’s back again within seconds, kissing baby Mai on the forehead with a few nonsensical words cooed, and a distracted wave at his roommates.

“Call me if you need me to swing by the pharmacy or conbini on my way home.”

“Have a good day,” Yasuno answers inattentively.

_Where did those other four burp clothes go?_

“Try not to faint!” is Keiyuu’s parting remark from the genkan.

“On second thoughts, _don’t_ have a good day,” Yasuno grumbles good-naturedly.  “Have the same miserable sort of day as I’m going to have.”

“If you need a second pair of hand,”Yuhra offers kindly.

“You were stuck with her all day yesterday,” his friend protests.  “Despite what this current disaster of a table implies, I’m not so _completely_ helpless that I can’t manage a five-block walk with a small girl and a large case.”

“Yes, it _is_ only five blocks,” reminds Yuhra, eyeing the tote’s straining seams warily.  “Do you really all 200 wipes in that tub?”

Yasuno doesn’t bother to answer, so Yuhra just gives Mai a wry smile and returns to the article he’s typing.

Before her birth, Yuhra was the one to take primary responsibility for all of the research necessary in preparing three single men in their mid-20s for the arrival of an infant.  How to bathe, feed, and change; the best brands and shops for items of durable quality at a reasonable price.  He even chose her paediatrician himself – his recommendation as much the result of the clinic’s easy distance from the flat as the endorsements of the parents who frequented it.  A baby still unimmunized ought not to be taken _anywhere_ via train, and Yuhra doesn’t trust the cleanliness of taxis when it comes to their precious girl.

“You’re going to be late if you try to shove in one more thing,” he predicts.  “And what two-month old needs three different pairs of socks this far into June?” he adds more to himself than anybody, because it’s obvious Yasuno isn’t listening.

Yasuno’s attention may be elsewhere, but the word “late” does manage to find its way into his brain.

“Right.  Can’t be late.  Sensei would give our appointment to some other little girl…,” he mutters, hastily tugging at the zipper which only fastens part-way before refusing to budge a millimetre further.

Yasuno rushes toward the door for his shoes, and Yuhra heaves an affectionate sigh as he scoops up bag and baby, and strolls that direction himself.  Once her father’s shoelaces are safely tied, she’s handed over to him with great care, arranged into the sling at Yasuno’s chest.  All three had mocked it when Keiyuu’s elder sister sent it to them, but have found it quite useful, as it allows her cheek to rest very comfortingly over the soothing sound of their heartbeat while freeing hands carry other things.

Yasuno gives Yuhra one of his signature grins.

“We’re off now, I think.  And you should use the time we’re out to have a nap, because I know you didn’t sleep any last night.”

“Call if you need anything,” Yuhra instructs, ignoring the remark about his sleeping habits.  “Look after him for us, Mai.”

It’s the closest Yuhra will come to echoing Keiyuu’s earlier teasing: just the gentle prompt from one friend to another not to take it all _too_ seriously. 

A roll of the eyes, a murmured “Am I sure I’ve got everything?”, and they’re out the door.

~~~~

Five blocks away, Dr. Teishikata Kunihiko is vigorously scrubbing his hands following his fourth case of hand-food-and-mouth of the week.  He shudders to think what the caretakers at the local daycare facility have been doing to allow such an epidemic, and hates that the best he can do is recommend common fever reducers, anti-itch ointments, and admonish anxious mothers to regularly sanitize any toys their young children might put into their mouths.  He loves his job… most days.  But times like these, he wishes he’d chosen an area of practice a bit less… germy.  Podiatry, maybe or dermatology.

“We’ve brought your 12:30 appointment and her father through the back way, since she hasn’t had any of her vaccines yet, Sensei,” the head nurse informs him.

_Just the sort of sensible thing a veteran in medicine would think of._

“Thank you, Ishii-san.  I’ll be there in just a moment.”

_Father, eh?  That’s unusual._

Normally, mothers or aunts bring babies for their appointments while fathers are busy slaving away in an office somewhere.  The doctor doesn’t begrudge them that.  If he’s ever fortunate enough to have a family, he probably won’t have the luxury of attending as many appointments as he’d like with his children.  Although, he thinks with a cheerful smile as he procures “Mai”s chart, doctors’ visits he will _certainly_ be present for!

He opens the door gently, never wanting his first impression to be frightening to any of his easily-startled little patients.  The sight that greets him is overwhelming in every respect because he’s stepping across the threshold into a world of colour.  For the first time in his life, he’s able to distinguish every hue in the rainbow swirl of butterflies painted on the soothing blue walls of the examination room. 

The cause of his newly acquired perceptions is the harried-looking young father currently flailing about the examination room chair.  The doctor was aware that these chairs are too small: women only recently delivered or parents struggling with wriggling toddlers frequently make the narrow seats wobble and groan.  But never in his life has he seen anyone in them appear quite so awkward. 

Limbs everywhere – that is the impression the young man gives.  If he had been a spider with eight of them, he could not appear any ganglier!  He has one ankle propped against the opposite knee, forming a marginally stable lap for an enormous bag containing what might actually be the entirety of their home.  One arm has half vanished within, apparently fumbling through one of the many interior pouches, while the other juggles a beautiful little girl wearing a pink silk flower pinned into one wisp of her dark hair.  Her petiteness makes his frame seem even larger and more disproportionate.

“I _know_ I put a pad of paper in here somewhere so that I could write down everything they tell me,” he mutters, “And a pencil too, because I was worried a pen might leak….  Which pocket did I put it in, Mai?”

She ignores his inquiry and stares with curiosity at the doctor, whose shiny stethoscope has now drawn her attention.

 _I’ve never seen such a precious face in all my life_ , he thinks, heart instantly warming to his soulmate’s charge.  _Is it wrong to hope he isn’t married?_

“Hello,” he greets in his gentlest voice.

Even so, the young father starts and gawks up at him in astonishment.

“Oh, Sensei!” he exclaims, displacing the tote onto the floor as he jumps up to greet the doctor with a polite bow.  “We didn’t hear you come in.”

The lack of immediate acknowledgement of their being soulmates has the doctor slightly concerned, but he offers his hand the way he would to any new patient’s parent.

“I’m Teishikata Kunihiko,” he introduces himself, “But all of my patients call me Dr. Jin because it’s much easier to pronounce.”

Another two seconds of handshake pass before a look of recognition indicates that the truth has been revealed.

Indeed, Yasuno has been so preoccupied about not being late, finding the pad of paper, and the mess he’s just made across the floor by dropping Mai’s things that his mind needs every bit of those two seconds to catch up.  As soon as it does, a wide grin breaks out across his face.

_My soulmate is Mai’s doctor!  Even if it comes to nothing between us, at least I know I won’t ever have to worry about her health._

It’s a particularly mercenary thought, and Yasuno is almost instantly ashamed of himself for not being able to appreciate the existence of his soulmate for his own sake rather than merely in his professional capacity.  Fortunately, the so-called Dr. Jin doesn’t notice the slightly artificial tinge his soulmate’s smile has taken on, preoccupied with their respective heights.

 _It’s like some bad manga trope_ , he thinks when he has to tilt his head back to maintain eye contact.  _Only isn’t it normal for the older guy to be the one a full head taller_ _?  Does that make me…?_

He shakes off the thought.  An acquaintance of thirty seconds isn’t nearly long enough to be speculating about how an intimate relationship is going to play out.

“Do you have a name you use?” he asks playfully.  “Or should I just call you ‘Mai’s guardian?”

“Right, sorry,” Yasuno is grinning, apologizing, and bowing all at once.  “I’m Tanaka Yasuno… and this is Mai, which I’m sure you figured out already.”

He bounces the baby slightly in his arms, causing a similar grin to appear on her own face.  The doctor’s heart melts even more.  He offers her his finger, which she eagerly grabs and squeezes.

“Hello, sweetheart,” he addresses her softly.  “How are you today?  Not looking forward to the injections, I’m sure.  But I promise I’ll be gentle.”

The blood rapidly drains from Yasuno’s face as he remembers the purpose of their visit.  Quickly as he can, he sits back down. 

It’s not a phobia of needles.  He won’t allow it to be called that.  When forced, he admits to being _slightly_ squeamish.  Just slightly, he claims.  It’s nothing but the briefest light-headedness or protest of the stomach.  Even so, he couldn’t quite make it through the “what to expect” pamphlet Yuhra tried to show him last week.

_And my soulmate has to administer injections on a regular basis._

  


Dr. Jin pretends he doesn’t see how his soulmate pales at the mention needles, busying himself with Mai’s chart and the notes Ishii-san has already made as to height and weight.  His eyes linger briefly on the empty blank that’s been left next to “Mother’s name”.

“You’re her father?” he confirms as casually as he can.

“No.  Yes!” Yasuno argues with himself, not expecting the question.  “I mean, biologically, I’m her uncle, but legally, yes I’m her father, and I can sign whatever you need me to.  But maybe that’s not what you were asking for….”

He looks rather like a confused puppy, and Jin finds it adorable.

“Both are useful to know,” he answers.  “I need her guardian’s permission to give her any care, of course.  And since there’s a blood relationship, you may be able to fill in some of the blanks regarding the family’s medical history.  _If_ it’s ever necessary,” he adds.  “How much milk does she normally drink at a feeding?”

Despite a momentary terror of the daunting ‘family medical history’, Yasuno is able to explain every detail about his daughter’s routine to the complete satisfaction of the paediatrician.  Dr. Jin listens to her lungs and heart while tickling her feet, takes her temperature and lets her tug on a lock of his hair, alternates between sensible conversation with Yasuno about her behaviour and gibberish with Mai about nothing at all.

Yasuno is a bit over-eager and has more than a few anxieties about his daughter, just as most new parents do, but the roommates he mentions again and again seem to keep him from becoming obsessive, and by all accounts, dote on her just as much as Yasuno obviously does.  Jin is quite convinced that his soulmate and daughter are a _very_ lucky pair.

 

Sooner than either of the soulmates would like, the nurse appears with the prepared vaccines.  Again, Yasuno’s face takes on a rather chalky hue, and Dr. Jin no longer has the option of ignoring what seems to be the problem.

“If you this is going to make you queasy, I can have Ishii-san hold her,” he offers.

Yasuno shakes his head vigorously.  No.  He will hold his daughter.  No matter how much he dislikes it, she is _his_ responsibility.  The nurse gives him a knowing, motherly smile and pats his shoulder.

“It will be over in a second,” Jin reassures for the agitated father’s benefit.  “Just a little pinch, and it’s all done.  Take a deep breath.”

Yasuno does as he’s told, not even realizing how odd it is that the paediatrician is giving instructions to breathe to a baby.  He squeezes his eyes closed, waiting for the inevitable wail of pain. 

It never comes. 

Mai does nothing more than give an annoyed baby HUMPH before shoving a finger in her mouth and returning to the fascinating task of staring.

“Such a brave girl,” Jin praises her, stroking the dusting of ebony hair on her crown.

Then on impulse, he gives Yasuno’s forehead a quick peck.

“You were very brave, too.”

He turns his back under the pretence of updating the file so that his soulmate can’t see the heat rising in his cheeks.  Yasuno, meanwhile, stares open-mouthed at the doctor’s back not sure he can believe what just happened.

“D-did you j-just…?”

“Sorry about that,” Jin replies.  “Unprofessional, wasn’t it.  You just looked so tense I couldn’t stop myself.”

“S’fine,” Yasuno denies, his own cheeks colouring.  “I mean, how many grown men are afraid of needles.”

“You’d be surprised just how many,” declares his soulmate.  “Big, burly manly-men utterly cowed by them.  When I was doing my residency, I once had a retired police chief ask if there wasn’t a tetanus _pill_ he could take instead of a shot.”

Jin shakes his head fondly at the memory, and Yasuno visibly relaxes.  He’s been wary of them for far too long to expect the trepidation to suddenly disappear, but he doesn’t want his soulmate to think him a coward.

 “She may run a low fever within the next couple of days,” the doctor warns as he makes for the door.  “Anything above 38 degrees, call me immediately.  She may also develop a little rash or some swelling near the injection site.  The ladies at the front desk will set another appointment in two months for her next round of vaccines, and…” he hesitates for just a moment, unsure whether he ought to go on yet.

But Yasuno’s open expression is so encouraging.

“A-and I’d like to see _you_ in the next week or two.  If you’re free… for dinner some evening.  With Mai, if you’re comfortable bringing her.”

Yasuno may be realistic enough to know that not all soulmate relationships amount to anything, but he’s not about to turn down the chance to give his a try.

“Dinner sounds great.”

The butterflies painted on the wall have taken up residence inside the chests of two very happy young men.

~~~~

To his relief, Yasuno finds Yuhra asleep at the kotatsu when they finally make it home.  Excited as he is to tell his roommates everything that has happened, he knows they need their rest.  News about soulmates can wait until Keiyuu is home.

**From: Keiyuu**  
**Did you pass out?**

Yasuno rolls his eyes.  Then deciding to do a little teasing of his own, he replies.

**Fell head over heels, actually.**

_That ought to keep him guessing!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **1)** I needed something super fluffy to counteract last week's challenge post. This is the result. And [these](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/c8/e3/48/c8e3482de440938175fd451e8f0f4b57.jpg) are [why](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/84/0f/8f/840f8fbde9945c4dc588552d2063243a.jpg) this [pairing](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/92/bc/8e/92bc8ebee8db3a8849a4d41bb00fcf79.jpg) happened.  
>  **2)** IRL Yasuno is about 4 years older than Jin, but since I've already established that Opinkusama was 25 when Mai born, that would have made Jin too young to be running his own paediatric clinic. While the age difference isn't accurate, the height difference is. Yasuno is gangly 183-ish cm while Jin is only 166. (Which probably includes his boots, bless him!) I've used what is rumoured to be Jin's real name and chose a random (common) surname for Yasuno.  
>  **3)** There are so many stereotypes when it comes to relationships. Older, taller, stronger, seme - all carry particular connotations. [One Head Taller](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/OneHeadTaller) is a pretty common one in manga/anime. As someone who was once married to a person nearly a foot taller than her, it's not all it's cracked up to be.  
>  **4)** Kids really aren't my thing, but I was doing image searches to see how big a 2-month old would be and... isn't she [precious](http://tinymephotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/01-951-post/Alice-2-months-26-1024x751\(pp_w745_h546\).jpg)?! This is officially what Mai looks like. Just one flower, though, not a whole wreath.


	3. Passenger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the DW vkyaoi community December challenge - give a Hallmark holiday film a visual kei makeover. I got to redo the film adaptation of some NYTimes bestseller called "The Christmas Train" and ohdeargods did it _need_ a redo. (Full disclosure: I have neither read nor seen The Christmas Train. What I _have_ done is peruse a number of detailed reviews on Goodreads.com, both positive and negative.)

“Week of December 19 - not a good time for a Leo to travel,” Keiyuu reads earnestly from the newspaper.  “Connections may be difficult to make in business and in life.  Be sure to confirm all plans; things left to chance could go awry.  Midweek, beware of fly-by-night operations and anything (or anyone) for which you cannot confirm the legitimacy.”

Yuhra gives his roommate a long-suffering look over the open suitcase in front of him.

“I guess that means I should phone up my boss and tell her I can’t do my job because my horoscope says it’s a bad idea.”

Yuhra does not believe in horoscopes.

“I’m sure _that_ conversation would end well,” Yasuno scoffs, shifting the baby from one hip to the other.  “Come on, Hime; don’t you want to go to sleep for Chichi?”

“If by ‘end well’ you mean ‘end my employment’, then yes.”

“I was just trying to be helpful,” shrugs Keiyuu indifferently.

It’s not as though he believes in horoscopes either… mostly.

“If you’d like to be helpful, you can find the belt I lent you last week,” Yuhra instructs.  “As cold as it’s likely to be up north, I’d rather my trousers not fall off.”

Sharing a flat with two other guy has its advantages financially, but there certainly are drawbacks to the ‘what’s mine is yours’ lifestyle, particularly with someone who tends to leave things lying about rather than returning them to where they belong.

Keiyuu sighs but does as he’s bidden.

“I still don’t understand why they’re sending you all the way to Kushiro to cover a fishing tournament,” his voice echoes off the tiles of the wash room as he sorts through the laundry, “As if anyone here in the city cares about fishing.”

“Probably ‘look at all those rustic northerners with their quaint ways’ masked as a personal interest story,” Yasuno frowns.

 “What I’d like to know is how they get away with calling that a fortune,” remarks Yuhra, tickling the baby’s foot absently.  “It’s hardly a revelation that traveling during the end-of-year holidays will be difficult.  And who _shouldn’t_ be wary of illegitimate operations!”

Mai gurgles around the drool-covered toy in her mouth as if in total agreement with his point.  Yasuno kisses her head, and Yuhra smiles up at her fondly.

“What do you say, Mai?  Want to come to Hokkaido with Oji-san?  I think there’s room in here if I fold you well.”

She wriggles her little legs happily, obviously not the least bit tired.

Yasuno shake his head vigorously.

“Say, ‘maybe when I’m old enough to enjoy playing in the snow, Ji-san’,” he raises his voice as if he’s speaking for his daughter. “And then _only_ if Chichi comes with.”

Yuhra rolls his eyes.

“Over-protective father at it again.  Well, maybe next year I’ll get lucky, and they’ll send me somewhere warm that we could all go.”

“Christmas in Hawaii, all expenses paid!” Keiyuu suggests unrealistically.  “Count me in!”

 ~~~~

Whether luck and fortunes be true in general, there’s no denying that the horoscope Keiyuu read was correct: this is NOT a good week for Yuhra to travel.  His suitcase somehow ends up going to the Chitose airport rather than Kushiro.   By the time he gets things straightened out and makes his way to his hotel, standard check-in is over, and the young woman at the front desk apologetically informs him that the economy room he had reserved is no longer available.  Reluctantly, he agrees to an upgrade and presents his company expense account to be charged; the card is declined.  Her politeness becomes a bit stiff and suspicious as he apologetically gives her his personal card instead, silently praying he has enough in his account to cover the additional fee.  He’s tired, hungry, and thoroughly frustrated by the time he enters the unnecessarily large suite in which he will be staying.

 _At least I get a large bed for me troubles_ , Yuhra consoles himself.

He’d like nothing better than to collapse on that bed and sleep away his frustration, but Yuhra immediately phones the office seeking an explanation as to why the expense account is being declined.  Of course, everyone with anything like useful information has already left the office for the day, so he resigns himself to an evening meal out of the vending machines.

Things don’t look any brighter the next morning.  When his supervisor finally answers her extension, her solution to the problematic card is for Yuhra to charge everything to his own account, obtain receipts, and be reimbursed later.  How is Yuhra supposed to explain to a woman who has no recollection of what it means to live from pay-check to pay-check that there probably isn’t enough of a balance on his card to eat _and_ pay for the taxi back to the airport?  It’s only upon hearing that many places in the area don’t accept credit cards that Yuhra convinces her to wire some cash.

Even with the cash, Yuhra doesn’t have much to spare, so he decides to walk to his interview rather than take a taxi.  He soon realizes that decision was a mistake.  In all of his preparations, Yuhra somehow forgot to pack a hat, and within minutes his ears and nose are _freezing_.  Icy gusts claw at him through his clothing and bite at every millimetre of exposed skin.  He clutches his camera bag and satchel to his chest, and lowers his head as the pavement turns him directly into the path of the wind.  Woollen trousers or no, he’ll be lucky if he doesn’t catch hypothermia.   But he has a job to do nevertheless.

If there is a silver lining to be found, it’s that by the time he steps into the bait shop, he is physically incapable of smelling the putrescence.  He bows and apologizes and bows some more for how late he is, numbed fingers fumbling as he extracts a notepad, pencil, and small audio recorder from his satchel.

“Thank you all for agreeing to meet with me,” he murmurs, fighting to keep the shivers from his voice.

The group of old men who make up the tournament’s executive committee give him disapproving looks, as if his susceptibility to the cold is a character flaw.

 _City boy_ , they are all obviously thinking.

He is, too, with his shiny Western-style Oxfords, checked shirt, and silk tie.   He stares in apprehension at their heavy steel-toed snow boots and drab weather-resistant outerwear, feeling both overdressed and underdressed at the same time.

_If I have to go out in a boat with them, I may die!_

“I understand this fishing tournament has been going on now for nearly thirty years?”

 ~~~~

Blissfully unaware of the cold and sea sickness plaguing his roommate, Yasuno sets about decorating their flat in as festive a manner as their limited budget and Mai’s tendency to stick everything in her mouth will allow.  He hangs some plastic ornaments around the room on push-pins set at irregular intervals into the walls.  The pins _may_ have been taken from Yasuno’s office, but he reasons that it’s not really stealing since he has every intention of returning them once the holidays are over.  From her play mat, Mai watches him bustle around and converses with him in sweet baby gibberish.

“Yesterday was the Emperor’s birthday,” Yasuno tells his daughter as he carefully untangles a strand of multi-coloured twinkle lights.  “He looked healthy, which is very good.  We want him to live a long, happy life.  Today is Christmas Eve, which means Chichi has a date with Sensei.  I’m going to wear the pink tie your Haha bought me for my birthday.  You get to spend tonight with Uncle Keiyuu, Uncle ‘Zo, and Shoya-nii.  Uncle Yuhra will be home later, too.”

“Yaya!” Mai declares, waving her arms.

 Yasuno grins.  As far as he can tell, that’s the name she’s given to Yuhra.

“Yes, Baby.  ‘Yaya’ will be home soon.  And tomorrow will be…” he gives an excited gasp, as if he’s revealing a wonderful secret, “Christmas!  Since you’ve been such a good girl, Santa-san will bring you a present.  Grandma Tanaka said she will wait and give you your present when we visit her for New Year.” 

He drapes the strands of twinkle lights over pins near the ceiling before stepping back to admire his work.  An actual Christmas tree is out of the question, but Yasuno tapes a cardboard cut-out of a tree over a small table just large enough for the few presents they have for Mai.

“And if Chichi asks _nicely_ , maybe Sensei will say it’s okay for you to have some Christmas cake.” 

He pauses and frowns a little.

“But I don’t know about that for sure, so please don’t cry if he says ‘no’.  Too much sugar isn’t good for baby girls.”

A low chuckle behind him causes him to whirl around in delighted surprise.  There in the doorway stands his soulmate with Keiyuu smirking at his side.

“We tried to warn you,” the shorter man declares as he pats the doctor’s arm in mock sympathy.  “Talking to himself… a sure sign of insanity.”

“I was talking to the baby!” protests Yasuno weakly.

“Of course you were,” Keiyuu winks before disappearing to change out of his work uniform.

“How can I possibly say ‘no Christmas cake’ after a build-up like that?” Jin asks, eyes sparkling merrily.  “I don’t want to be mean old Sensei spoiling Mai’s first Christmas!”

Yasuno is across the room in three strides, wrapping his long arms around his soulmate’s waist and greeting him with an enthusiastic kiss.

“I take it you don’t mind that I’m early,” Jin teases, tugging Yasuno down for another.

“Can’t think of anything that makes me happier than you being here.”

“Gross!” Keiyuu interrupts by shoving past them.  “Would you two keep the lovey-dovey romance-y crap to a minimum?  You’re making Mai and me queasy.”

Jin feels a tiny hand curl around the cuff of his trousers and looks down to find Mai gazing up at him.

“You don’t look queasy to me,” he tells her.

“Eung!”

She reaches out two chubby little arms, and he immediately scoops her up.

“Hi, sweetheart.  Have you been having fun decorating with Chichi?”

Yasuno stands contentedly holding his soulmate who’s holding his daughter, until something sharp pokes him in the backside – Keiyuu wielding a pair of stainless steel chopsticks.

“Go get ready for your date,” he orders.  “I’ve got some tofu and yam warming for her.”

“Ooo, tofu!” Jin gives Mai’s tummy a gentle nudge.  “Sounds tasty.”

Reluctant to part from either of them, Yasuno gives them each one last peck on the cheek before following Keiyuu’s advice about changing clothes.  He knows Jin went to a lot of trouble to make reservations on Christmas Eve, and it would be extremely rude to make the doctor wait.  Not to mention risky – space for a romantic date is at a premium tonight.  He wouldn’t want to lose their table by dawdling.

By the time Yasuno has made himself as presentable as he can, Taizo and Shoya have arrived loaded down with conbini bento and a stack of VHSes from the nearby rental store.

“There’s nothing scary in that pile, is there?” Yasuno interrogates Taizo.  “I don’t want you giving her nightmares.”

Shoya and Jin exchange amused glances.

“Nothing scary,” Taizo assures.  “We’ll make sure she’s facing away from the screen for anything that’s not child-appropriate and keep the volume low once she’s asleep, I promise.”

“Ready to go?” Jin suggests, handing the baby off to Shoya.

“Yeah, just let me grab my…phone….”

Even as he’s saying it, Yasuno’s phone starts to ring.

“Yuhra-kun!” he greets cheerfully.  “Are you on your way home?”

Yasuno can hear the ambient noise of an airport in the background or he would think the call has dropped.

“No, I’m not,” Yuhra admits after a few long seconds.  “Everything has been delayed due to weather.”

“Oh that’s annoying,” Yasuno sympathizes, not yet grasping the full situation. “Did they give you an idea of how long you’d have to wait?”

“We’ve already been re-routed to Sapporo.  There are rumours that all direct flights to Tokyo are being cancelled.  I might be able to make a connecting flight from Misawa, but if the snow is as bad as they anticipate, I could be stuck here another two or three days.”

“But tomorrow’s Christmas,” Yasuno contends naïvely.

“Yes, and unless we experience some sort of holiday miracle, I’m not going to be there,” huffs Yuhra.

“But I told Mai you would be home tonight.”

“She’s eight months old, Opinku-chan.  She doesn’t know the difference.”

“Yes, she does!” retorts Yasuno obstinately.  “And you _have_ to be here.  We can’t celebrate Mai’s first Christmas properly without the whole family!”

Yuhra pinches the bridge of his nose.  He’s well aware of how preoccupied Yasuno gets about giving Mai the perfect childhood – full of love and family to counteract the negativity surrounding her mother’s pregnancy.  And normally the fact that Yuhra is included in Yasuno’s conception of “family” gives Yuhra quite the feeling of satisfaction.  At the moment, however, it gives him the urge to punch someone in frustration.

He scowls across the foyer toward the ticketing counter, but when he sees how harried and miserable the airline employees look, he immediately feels regretful.

_After all, the weather isn’t their fault._

“I’ll be home as soon as I can.  Until then, there are five other people to shower her with attention.  I’m sure she can make do without me just fine.”

 

Yasuno stares down at the screen of his phone: Call Ended. 

_Is that how Yuhra feels?  Just one of half a dozen completely interchangeable people?  That Mai doesn’t know or care whether he’s there or not?_

“What’s wrong, Notti?” Jin enquires, resting his cheek against Yasuno’s arm.

“Yuhra’s stuck at the airport because of a snow storm.  Everything’s delayed… might be cancelled.  He’s going to miss Christmas.”

Jin thinks there may be more to it.

“She’s just a baby, you know.”

Definitely the wrong thing to say.  Yasuno’s shoulders slump further.

“That’s what Yuhra said too.  But just because she won’t remember it doesn’t mean I don’t want her to have the pictures to look back on and see how much her family loves her.  _All_ of her family.”

Jin gives his soulmate a squeeze.

“What I was going to suggest is that if we were to postpone our celebration a day or two, she wouldn’t know the difference.  She can’t exactly read a calendar at the moment, and twenty years from now looking through a photo album, she’ll care about who was here, not when it was.  And after all, it’s the love that counts, right?”

He looks to the other three for confirmation.

“Makes perfect sense to me,” Taizo affirms with Shoya nodding along in agreement.

“Wouldn’t be a proper Christmas without him,” echoes Keiyuu.

“Won’t you all have to work?” Yasuno asks, his face already alight with hopefulness.  “He said he may not be back until Monday.”

“For you and Mai, we will make time,” Jin assures.

“Ugh, again with the mushy romantic stuff,” Keiyuu wrinkles his nose in feigned disgust.  “Sickening.  Would you two go on your date already so we don’t have to hear it?”

Taizo and Shoya actually think the mushy romantic stuff is pretty cute, but they play along with Keiyuu’s outrage anyway because teasing Yasuno is fun.

“Yeah, yeah, we’re going,” retorts Jin.  “Can’t promise I’ll bring him home early, so you kids don’t wait up.”

Yasuno’s ears turn quite red at the wolf-whistles and knowing smirks of his friend.

“Wait!” he suddenly cries, struck by a thought.  “Will the chicken we ordered keep until the 27th?”

Jin shakes his head.

“If not, I’ll order more.”

 ~~~~

Yuhra paces up and down the airport terminal like some hungry beast in a cage, dragging his suitcase in tow.  (After losing it once, he decides not going to risk checking it this time.)   One by one, the flights on the departure screen are shifting from “delayed” to “cancelled”, and with each change, he feels his patience wane a little more.  He long ago completed his article, tucked away in an isolated corner of the seating area, and now he needs something to do – something to think about to keep his mind from how hurt Yasuno must be by the things he said.

He wanders into one of the duty-free shops; maybe they will have a cheap paperback novel he can use as distraction for a few hours.  Yet, rather than heading toward the section of reading materials, he’s drawn to a set of shelves with children’s toys.  Some picture books, activity magazines, small boxes of crayons, and a stack of plush animals.  Yuhra idly picks one up, turning it over and over in his hands without really looking at it.

“I’ve never seen a young man frown so hard at a ferret,” the auntie behind the register observes.

Yuhra gives a half-hearted smile and places the fluffy animal back on the shelf.

“Missing a date with your soulmate?” she speculates.

Although it’s that time of year, thoughts of romance and soulmates are about the furthest thing from Yuhra’s mind, and he ends up sputtering like a percolating coffee pot.

“Wha- … s-soul… no, I don’t… I m-mean I’m not… no!”

She gives him a pointed sort of stare, and for some reason he finds himself wanting to clear up her misconceptions.

“It’s my niece I’m supposed to be having Christmas with,” he explains.  “But the weather had different plans, I guess.”

Before he can stop himself, he’s pulling out his wallet and producing the little booklet overflowing with prints Yasuno has given him, lest he forget what Mai looks like during the few days he’s off on assignment.  The woman grabs her reading glasses up from the chain around her neck and carefully inspects each image as he shows it to her.  The longer she looks, the warmer she smiles.

“What a beautiful girl,” she admires.  “She’ll turn a few heads when she grows up, no mistake there.”

“Yes, she’s our princess,” Yuhra says fondly.  “It’s a shame I won’t be there to see her open her gift from Santa-san.”

The woman peers at him over the edge of her spectacles thoughtfully.

“Wait here,” she instructs before disappearing into the storage room.

He does wait, a little awkwardly, glancing this way and that as if he might be able to figure out what’s suddenly come over her.  The longer he stands there, the more sheepish he feels about wasting some stranger’s time with pictures of Mai.  She’s adorable, there’s no question, but it’s not as though she’s the only beautiful baby in the world.

_It’s just that she’s the only beautiful baby in my world, and I’m disappointed I can’t be with her._

“Take these.”

The woman has suddenly reappeared in front of him, holding a folded piece of paper and a small brown bag.

“What’s this?” he questions as he takes them from her hand.

“Your way home,” she explains.  “Forget about flying and get over to the train station.  Find the Hokuto 22.  It leaves at 6:40 and will take you as far as Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto. You’ll have to wait there until tomorrow morning, but the earliest departure should have you to Tokyo before lunch.”

Yuhra stares slack-jawed at the woman, not entirely convinced he isn’t dreaming the whole conversation.

“I c-can’t.  That’s… very kind of you, and I thank you very much.  But I… don’t have a reservation, you see.”

_I also don’t have the ¥27000 that sort of trip would cost._

“That‘s your reservation,” she points a bony finger at the paper.  “My son is a conductor, and it’s all taken care of.  Don’t thank me!” she hastily adds.  “Just collect your luggage and get a move on.  That precious baby needs her uncle.”

Days later, Yuhra can’t give a single detail of how things progress after that.  There are vague memories of incoherent words of gratitude, of corridors and escalators and “doors opening to the left”.  The early evening sky is a dark velvety black as the frigid north wind whips at the tails of snow-filled clouds racing the train southward.  He’s nearly an hour toward home before it occurs to him to open the bag.  Inside, he finds a tuna sandwich and a small ferret plush.

 ~~~~

While Yuhra spends his early morning hours navigating a crowded train station, the six people waiting for him back home are all fast asleep on the floor.  Taizo had been the first to succumb to slumber, part-way through their third film, with Keiyuu right behind him, baby Mai resting comfortably in the middle.  Shoya had held out long enough to set the cassette rewinding and turn the television off, but within minutes had claimed a cosy spot for his futon between their heads and the wall.  By the time Yasuno and Jin has crept back from their romantic dinner (and all the fun that followed in a certain motel room), they all looked too peaceful to be moved.  So, Yasuno and Jin had set out another futon near Taizo and Keiyuu’s feet, effectively boxing Mai in.

“If she tries to crawl out, someone will wake up,” Jin promises Yasuno with a yawn.

He would have been right if that someone were anyone other than Keiyuu.  He’s just short enough that there’s a baby-sized gap left near his toes that a certain wide-eyed little girl eagerly crawls through in search of her blocks.  Jin awakens in confusion to the sound of a small voice cooing and chattering away.  He blinks a few times, rubs his eyes to remove the sleep, and as he does so, the babbling becomes more animated.

_Oh, right.  I slept over._

He watches her for a few minutes: the physician in him pleased to see how her motor control is progressing, while his inner step-parent is totally amused that she’s already picked up her father’s habit of talking to herself.

“Mai?” he calls softly.

She grins over at him and offers him a plastic square.

“Did you wake up early for Santa-san, Hime?” he asks her, patting the futon in front of himself to see if she’ll come.

She tucks her knees under her herself, sticks her behind into the air, and crawls right to him, block still clutched in her hand.

“Da,” she answers and tosses the block.

Instantly, Yasuno springs up, wide awake although rather wild-looking.

“Mai!” he exclaims, face breaking into his signature grin as soon as he sees her.

“Da!” she repeats.

“I’m up,” Keiyuu mutters, rolling over onto his side.  “You change her, an’ I’ll… start her… bottle.”

Jin tries not to laugh out loud at the way Keiyuu’s practically talking in his sleep.

“I’ll take care of the bottle this morning, Kei-kun,” he offers with a pat to the younger man’s shin.

“M’kay.”

“Not gonna offer to take care of the diaper, though, are you?” jokes Yasuno. “No, that’s poor Chichi’s job since Yuhra’s not here.”

“Yaya?” Mai says, turning her head this way and that to find him.

Yasuno’s smile fades.

“He’s not here right now, Hime.  Come on; let’s get you cleaned up and have some breakfast.”

As Jin makes his way to the kitchen to make her formula as promised, he can’t help but glance at Yasuno’s phone to see if there might be a missed call from Yuhra.

Nothing.

 _Well, maybe that’s a good sign after all?_ Jin tries to be optimistic.  _He couldn’t call if he was on a plane._

Because Mai is wide awake and ready to play despite three very drowsy lumps occupying the majority of her play space, Jin and Yasuno decide to take her to a class held at one of the local child care facilities.  The adults have some time to chat with other parents while Mai has fun with games like kicking over stacks of blocks and crawling tag with three other children about her age.  By 10:30, she’s starting to show signs of wanting lunch, and Jin remembers that they have a chicken dinner that will be delivered soon.  They say goodbye to everyone and head back, Yasuno pretending he’s _not_ thinking about Yuhra by having a one-sided argument with himself as to whether Keiyuu and company will be awake yet.  

Taizo is awake; the other two are not.  So Yasuno both wins and loses his bet.  There’s some awkward “good morning”s and “just barely”s exchanged as everyone wakes and five men try to shuffle around a flat that’s rather too small for three.  Eventually, Shoya excuses himself back to his own for a shower, Keiyuu props himself sleepily against the wall with a cup of coffee, and Taizo makes himself useful by shaking out and folding the futons they’ve used.

Jin’s in the midst of negotiating how much of “Christmas in Kentucky” a little girl’s stomach can handle when the door opens and the crisp scent of fried chicken fills the air.

“Did you let the chicken guy in, Sho-kun?  Thank goodness, I’m starving,” Keiyuu calls.

“I’m not Sho-kun, but I did let the delivery guy in,” replies a familiar voice.

“Yaya!!”

Instantly, Mai is squirming to get out of her father’s arms in a rush to greet her missing uncle.  For his part, Yuhra is totally stunned to hear Mai’s enthusiastic call.  He kicks off his shoes and leaves his suitcase behind, just barely remembering to grab the delivery bag as he exits the genkan.  With a squeal of delight, Mai races over and tugs at the hem of his jeans to be picked up.

“Did you miss me that much, Hime?” he asks gently, heart utterly melted.

Taizo takes the chicken from him, and Yuhra sweeps her up in a wide arc that has her giggling wildly.  Yasuno is grinning just as happily as his daughter, although Jin is close enough to see the tears shining at the corners of his soulmate’s eyes.

“I told you she knows the difference,” Yasuno chastises his roommate lightly.

“Guess she does,” agrees Yuhra, and gives her a kiss on the cheek.  “Oji-san missed you.”

“Geez, now you’re being gross too!” interrupts Keiyuu.  “’Zo, go find Sho-kun so we can eat.”

“I’m here,” Shoya replies, ducking past Yuhra to resume his spot at the table beside his brother.

“Good.  That’s the whole family,” Yasuno observes with pride.  “Now we can really celebrate.”

Their Christmas feast is set out, and everyone finds his place, an air of perfect contentment settling over all of them.

“Are you hungry, Mai?” Yasuno offers his hands.  “Come to Chichi.”

To everyone’s surprise, she backs away from him, hiding her face against Yuhra’s shoulder.

“Yaya.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **1)** Near as I can figure out, the actual plot of "The Christmas Train" is as follows: Jerk journalist punches airline personnel  & is forced to use a train as his mode of transportation while heading to California to see his slutty girlfriend. His “soulmate” from years ago is on the train with a movie director & a bunch of cliché characters: undercover cop disguised as old woman trying to catch a thief/preacher, lovely-dovey couple, sassy black lady, etc. Director pretends to be scoping for a movie script but set the whole thing up (Wait, he knew the guy was going to punch someone?!) to get Soulmate and Jerk back together. Jerk smooches Soulmate and does the whole “I never stopped loving you” BS confession, then remembers he’s got a girlfriend and oh yeah better take care of that! Off he goes to break up with her (a day late & a dollar short), only to discover FHEW it’s _okay_ that he’s a Jerk because she’s been cheating on him. Like sluts do. Also, there’s an avalanche in there somewhere?... IDK.  
>  **2)** So basically, the only things that survived of the original are a journalist traveling by train at Christmastime, some inconvenient bad weather, and a happy ending with the one(s) he loves. Frankly, I'm amazed I was able to salvage that much.  
>  **3)** Opinku-sama is a nickname fans gave Yasuno because he at one time had vivid pink hair and plays with pink drum sticks. Many of his labelmates call him Notti, so that's the pet name Jin is going to use. Google translate claims that やや means "kind of" or "rather", which is silly, but there's no way an eight-month-old could pronounce Yoo-Rah. (Had to double check; I didn't want Mai calling him something vulgar!)  
>  **4)** Why a ferret [plush](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61bnJ9Rv%2BDL._SL1440_.jpg)? Because Yuhra [owned](http://jrockrevolution.com/kra-interview/) (owns? How long do ferrets live?) one.  
>  **5)** Yes, the boys do KFC for Christmas. It's a Japanese [tradition](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/why-japan-is-obsessed-with-kentucky-fried-chicken-on-christmas-1-161666960/), after all!


End file.
